


Harry Potter and The Slytherin's Home

by Akoia



Series: The Life and Times of Harry Potter [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Grey Harry Potter, Harry Potter AU, Horcruxes, James Lives, Lily Evans Potter Lives, Potter Twins, Slytherin, Slytherin Harry Potter, Slytherin Politics, kind of wbwl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-06-13 02:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15353976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akoia/pseuds/Akoia
Summary: Harry Potter grew up knowing that he was worthless in the eyes of his parents and the world. When he's 11 years old, he's so happy when his Hogwarts letter comes, finally, he's able to prove that he's just as good as his brother. But his parents have other plans. Follow Harry as he navigates the world of Slytherin politics and tries to make himself a home.





	1. The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> Yo I'm totally ret-coning this series, in case you didn't notice. I'm turning this into a Slytherin! Harry Story. Hope that's cool with y'all.

Harry Potter, receives his Hogwarts letter, just like his brother, the morning of his 11th birthday. Eddie would have a huge party like he did every year, and Harry...would sit up in his room alone, like he did, _every year._ Harry didn’t like large crowds of people. Harry wasn’t _welcomed_ in the large crowds of high society people that his parents associated with. Which was _fine,_ he was used to it.

Harry watched his family, trying not to feel envious as his brother was lifted into their father’s arms and held close, rocked back and forth. Harry could count on one hand the times that his parents had hugged him. Or his mother had hugged him, his father had never touched him. Always watching him, trying to subtly hide the distrust in his eyes.

Harry didn't mind that either. He'd never felt close to his father, never wanted to be close to him, never felt the need to compete with his brother for his attention. His mother was different though. She was like her husband, always watching their smaller, younger son. But she was kinder to him. She felt like a real parent, sometimes.

Harry turned away from the happy family, reading over the letter one more time, almost not believing the green letters printed on the thick parchment. “I’m going to, aren’t I?” Harry asked. His parents turned to him, then to each other.

“Of course you are, don’t be an idiot,” Eddie said, his hands on his hips. He turned back to James with a huge smile on his face. “We should get matching trunks like the Weasley twins!”

James put a hand on his son’s shoulder and looked at his wife. She walked over to Harry and touched his face gently, running her thumbs over his cheeks. Harry felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Of course you’re going, dear.”

“ _Lily!”_ James said, his eyes widening.

“Not now, James.” She said, standing up. “Right now, I think we should be thinking about heading into the alley. We should beat the rush for the boys' school supplies.” She turned to Harry. “Go put on your cloak.”

“Yes, mother.” Harry nodded, turning on his heel and trotting up the stairs. He stopped when he was behind the wall. He heard his father order his brother out of the kitchen, more stern than any of them had ever heard him speak to Eddie.

“I thought we agreed we were sending him out of the country,” James said, crossing his arms.

“No, you said _you_ wanted to send him out of the country. I agreed to nothing. I don’t want my son travelling so far away from home.” Lily said back sternly. “Besides, where would we send him?”

“I don’t want that _thing_ around my son.”

There was a crack of skin hitting skin that echoed through the hall. “Our child is not a _thing,_ James Potter. He is a little boy.” She told him angrily.

“You know what he is,” James said coldly. “He’s a monster. Dumbledore says he doesn’t know when _he’ll_ take over Harry’s body. Could be soon, could have already happened. Do you really want Eddie in the line of fire?” He asked her. She was quiet. “That’s what I thought. As much as you feel the obligation towards him, you know what he’ll become. You know that we lost Harry to _him_ that night.”

She was quiet for a long time. "He is _going_ to Hogwarts, James,” She said softly. “We’ve taken so much away from him already, I'm not going to take this from him too. Dumbledore will be there, he won't let anything happen.”

Harry turned away and ran into his room, closing the door behind him. He sat on his bed and dabbed at his eyes. He hadn’t cried in many years, and he didn’t want to start again. He didn’t want to be a burden on his family anymore. Not on his mother, not his father, not his brother. Maybe if he wasn’t so close by, they could be happy, not walking on eggshells. Have a happy Christmas, good birthdays, family trips.

There was a knock at the door. “Come in.” He said, grabbing his cloak. His mother opened the door and slipped into the room. She shut it quietly and smiled sadly at him. “I...can’t go...can I?” He asked, letting his cloak slip out of his fingers. “Father doesn’t want me to.”

“No, my sweet. You can go to Hogwarts, I'll make sure of it.” She walked over to his bed, pushing her red hair out of her face, behind her ears. She reached out to him, and pulled him down, close against her side. “You get to go, just like your brother, but I was wondering… could I ask a favor of you?”

“What is it, mother?” He asked.

“I want you to become powerful, as powerful as you can. Learn everything, even things Hogwarts finds...distasteful to teach. Then, when you're powerful enough, would you protect your brother? For me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Be his guardian.” She said. “Fear makes people do foolish things. I can feel the strength in you, my son. If you got stronger, you could protect your brother, be his sword and shield, then no one would ever question what you would become.” She said. He looked up at her. She wasn’t looking at him, instead, her eyes were fixed on the framed photo on the wall. Where her, his brother, and father were sleeping peacefully. “It’s a selfish thing to ask, but you love your brother, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Harry said.

“Enough to sacrifice everything for him?”

“Haven’t I already?”

She nodded. “Good, that’s good, Eddie will be in safe hands, with you by his side to protect him.” She stood up and kissed the top of his head. “Give your loyalty, only to your brother.” She brushed his hair out of his eyes. "No one else." 

“Yes, mother.”

She turned away from him, her hands held in front of her. "That's good. Let's go get your supplies then, Harry." 

When she left, Harry smiled. Finally, he could stop being a burden.

* * *

 

Harry had never been to Diagon Alley before. His parents were very insistent that he should never step foot outside of the house unless it was a medical emergency. He marveled at the bright colors and sweet smells that filled his nose. He didn’t dare let his eyes stray too far. If he was caught his father would scold him for trying to get underfoot. Their first stop was for Eddie. He wanted to see the brooms. Harry was made to wait outside the broom shop. It took them twenty minutes.

The next stop was the bookstore. His mother handed him a small coin purse, putting a finger over her lips, with a smile on her beautiful face. Harry thanked her and ran off to the history section. There were shelves upon shelves of texts. Some short and thin, others almost as tall as Harry and some just as thick. He reached forward and pulled out a book on modern history. Most of them were about the rise and fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It wasn’t like he didn’t _know_ about what had happened, but he wanted an outside perspective. Then he grabbed a few ancient history texts.

He was trying to reach something that was just a shelf too high when he felt someone bump into him. He turned and came face to face with a tall, dark-skinned boy around his age. The boy looked down at him with cold eyes, a smirk finding its way onto his face. “Hogwarts too?” The boy asked.

Harry looked down and shook his head. “Oh, um, yes it's my first year,” Harry said nervously. He’d never really had the opportunity to talk to another boy his age. Other than his brother and Ron.   

“Oh? Me as well,” The boy said, sounding interested. He held a hand out to Harry. “I’m Theo, by the way, Theodore Nott.”

Harry shook his head. “I’m Harry Potter, nice to meet you.” He pulled his hand away and scratched his arm. 

“Oh...Potter.” The boy hummed. “You’d be related to Edmund then? The-Boy-Who-Lived.”

“Yes, that's my brother." 

“I'm curious how Hogwarts will be,” The boy said, letting a real smile grace his face. “I have heard the curriculum for Hogwarts is unfortunately lacking. My father doesn’t want me too far from home, otherwise, I would be going out of the country. But I suppose I’ll have to make do with what I have.”

Harry couldn’t help but compare how different their situations were. Harry wondered what he’d do to switch places with that boy. He wondered, what would he do for his father to want him close. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Everyone says that Hogwarts is the greatest school in the world.”

“And the Americans say their school is the best, the only real way to find the best, is to go there.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “You may write me if you wish. You may sit with me on the train if you wish.”

“Alright! Thank you.” Harry grinned, flinching internally at how eager he sounded. The boy smiled at him indulgently and nodded.

“Theo.” An older man said walking towards them.

“Father, are you ready to leave?” Theo asked.

“Yes… “ The man looked down at Harry and raised an eyebrow. “Would you like to introduce me to your new friend.”

“This is Harry Potter, sir,” Theo said. “He’s going to be in my year.”

The man held out his hand and Harry took it, nodding his head. “It’s very nice to meet you, sir.” He said with a slight tilt of his head.

“You as well mister Potter.” Nott turned to his son. “Come, we have business to attend to.” Nott put his hand on his son’s back and guided him away from the book section, with one more nod in Harry’s direction. Harry waved goodbye to Theo until the dark-skinned boy and his father disappeared through the door.  Harry wondered if he’d just made a friend, for the first time in his life. No, Harry reasoned, Theo wasn’t really a friend. But he had made an acquaintance and that was the closest he’d ever gotten to a friend. So he tentatively counted it as a victory.      

“ _Boy!”_ He heard his father snap at him. Harry turned around and watched his father stalk over to him with a sour look on his face. James grabbed his arm and pulled him behind the bookshelves, making him drop the books he had in his arms. “What in Merlin’s name are you _thinking?!”_

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” Harry said, wincing at the tight grasp his father had on his arm.

“Do you have any idea who that man was?” James asked, shaking him. He pressed Harry against a shelf. Harry tried to wiggle away from the books digging into his spine. “What were you doing associating with Death Eaters?!”  

Harry looked down, blinking quickly. “I didn’t know, sir.” He said. “Please let go.” He begged.

“Oh, you _didn’t know,_ you little brat.” James leaned close, pressing his nose against Harry’s ear. “If I ever see you speaking to that man again, I swear to Merlin, you will _regret it.”_ He pushed away and grabbed Harry by the back of his shirt.

“James, what are you doing?” Lily said when she saw her husband dragging her frightened child. She grabbed his hand and pulled it away from Harry’s arm. “Did you get your books, dear?” She asked.

“No, mother.” He said, looking down, wiping his eyes and rubbing his eyes.

“Go get them, I’ll wait for you here while your father takes your brother to buy the rest of his school supplies. We'll go get yours after we get your wand,” Lily said, pushing him gently towards where he had dropped the books. He picked them up slowly, not wanting to walk back too quickly and hear his parents arguing about him again.

He turned each book over in his hands and made sure that there wasn't any damage done to the spine or the cover or any of the pages. When he was satisfied, he quickly browsed through the rest of the history section. He owned most of the collection, but there were a few about early muggle and magic relations which sounded interesting. He grabbed it and threw it into his pile on his arms. He spent another ten minutes getting his school books before he peaked around the shelf, making sure that his father was already gone. He was, and his mother was waiting for him patiently.

“Do you have everything you need, love?” She asked, laying a hand gently on his back and guiding him towards the counter. She looked over his books and smiled fondly. “You really are my son,” she said.

“What else are we getting from the alley, mother?” Harry asked her, taking the enchanted paper bag from the clerk.

“We could get your wand.” She said, gesturing with her chin towards Ollivander's. “I was thinking of registering a vault in your name.” She looked down at him with a half-smile. “But don’t tell your father.” She said sternly. "Then we'll go get your potions supplies." 

“Yes, ma’am.” Harry nodded.

* * *

 

She guided him up the white marble steps into Gringotts. Harry kept his head down as they walked to a goblin who was unoccupied. Harry only looked up when Lily tapped his shoulder, to be polite.

“How may I help you, Mrs. Potter?” The goblin asked, his voice hollow and uninterested.

“I would like to open up a new vault under my younger son’s name.” She said sweetly. She took Harry gently by the hand and pulled him forward. “Perhaps one with a Nightengale on the outside.” She said, and the goblin suddenly was paying a lot more attention then he had been before.

“Of course, Mrs. Potter.” The goblin stepped out from behind his desk, down a set of little stairs. He led her through the halls and into the carts, just like they’d done before, but Harry could taste the excitement from the goblin.

When they stepped out they were in one of the upper floor vaults used for new money families. “Mother, what’s happening?” Harry asked, still holding her hand.

“I’m paying a little extra to keep your vault off the grid. No one but us and the goblins will ever know it exists,” She smiled.

They were taken to a back room with a goblin who said he would be Harry’s bank manager. The goblin ran them through what to expect, interest rates, and the like. Harry didn’t really understand it so he kept his head down and memorized the patterns in the marble. His mother put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want James or Dumbledore to know about this vault, can you make that happen?” She asked.

“Yes, we can make sure that neither of them will have access to Mister Potter’s vault. However, since James Potter has custody of him, as you do, he could demand to see all of your son’s assets. There wouldn’t be an amount shown or who made the vault, but there will be a vault listed.”  

She sighed and nodded her head. “That will have to do,” she smiled down at Harry and brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. “They need a drop of your blood, dear.”

“Yes, mother.” Harry held his hand out to the goblin who used a small silver knife to give Harry a very small cut on the pad of his middle finger.

“How much would you like to place inside the vault, Mrs. Potter?”

Lily reached into her handbag and pulled out a small pouch and handed it to the goblin. When their business was concluded, Lily took her son out of the bank and they quickly made their way over to Ollivanders wands shop   

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single spindly chair which Lily sat on to wait. Harry felt strange, as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions which had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

“Good afternoon,” said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Harry looked back at his mother who was smiling fondly. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

“Hello,” said Harry politely when his mother gave him a pointed look.

“Ah yes,”  said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I’d be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn’t a question. "He has your eyes, Lily, my dear. It seems only yesterday you was in here yourself, buying your first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

“Yes, sir,” Lily said with a nod of her head.

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.

“Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it – it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.” Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

“And this is where it all began,” Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead with a long, white finger. “I’m sorry to say I sold the wand that did it,” he said softly. “Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands ... Well, if I’d known what that wand was going out into the world to do …”

“Please, Mr. Ollivander, we’re on a tight schedule,” Lilly said, her voice colder than Harry had ever heard it directed at anyone other than him. 

“As you wish, Mrs. Potter,” said Mr. Ollivander, giving Lilly a piercing look. “Well, now – Mr. Potter. Let me see.” He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. “Which is your wand arm?”

“My right arm,” said Harry.

“Hold out your arm. That’s it.” He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard’s wand."

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-" 

Harry tried – but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we’ll find the perfect match here somewhere – I wonder, now – yes, why not – unusual combination – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. He heard his mother clapping politely behind him and grinned in victory. 

He put Harry’s wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious ... curious ..."

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what’s curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother – why, its brother gave you _that_ scar."

Harry swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember ... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter ... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great."

Harry shivered. He wasn’t sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. Lily paid seven gold Galleons for his wand and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

“Not a _word_ of that to your father, do you understand me?” Lily said, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the shops. “Not one word.” 

Harry nodded his head vigorously and his mother let go of him. "Alright, now let's go find the rest of your school things." 


	2. The Train and The Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this castle wound up being almost seven thousand words so I cut it in half. The other half will be up later

It was no surprise when his father didn't say goodbye to him. His mother gave him a quick peck on the forehead before shooing him off onto the train. Harry dragged his trunk behind him and looked through the compartments. He was looking for Theo, the boy he'd met in the bookshop. He found him in a compartment alone, reading a thick book. Harry knocked on the door and waved when Theo looked up. The boy gestured for him to enter. Harry opened the door and pushed his trunk in and tucked it safely under the seat across from Theo.

"So, brother of the savior," Theo said with a sarcastic drawl. "How was your summer?" He asked.

Harry huffed and chuckled. "Normal, I spent most of it reading. What about you?" Harry asked.

"My father hired a private tutor to make sure that I was up to snuff in my classes. I went to Lucius Malfoy's charity gala, have you heard of it?"

"Yeah, he raises money every year to donate to St. Mungo's, doesn't he?"

"Yes, I noticed that no one from your family attended, may I ask why?"

"My father...I'm sure it's no secret how he feels about Lucious Malfoy. I'm sure that if Malfoy was raising money to end world hunger, my father wouldn't attend simply out of spite."

Theo chuckled. He closed his book, putting a silk bookmark in between the pages. "So, Potter, what house do you think you'll wind up in?" He asked, crossing one leg over the other.

Harry straightened up and sighed. "I'm not sure...I've never given it much thought." He scratched his chin. "I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw. I'd love to be surrounded by other people who love learning."

"Most of my family has been in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw, I imagine that I'll be the same."

"Oh, well my entire family has been in Gryffindor. Do you think I might wind up there?"

"Anything's a possibility, but my father told me that you're chosen for your house based on both the values you value and the values you embody."

"I think if I was a Slytherin, my father might actually kill me." Harry swallowed and pulled on the collar of his grey school robes. "But...it might just be a little funny to see his face. He'd turn so red his head might just fly right off of his body." Harry snickered, imagining his furry if Harry was sorted into the house of snakes.

The door was flung open and Harry yelped. A blonde boy with two large beefy boys stood in the doorway. "Nott, there you are," he said not even casting Harry a glance. "Are you going to join us in the compartment towards the front of the train?" He asked.

"No thank you, Malfoy, as you can see I'm already entertaining a guest." Theo gestured towards Harry who was sitting stiffly in his seat. "Malfoy, this is Harry Potter," Theo said. He then turned to Harry with a slight smile. "Potter, this is Draco Malfoy."

Malfoy sized him up from head to toe. He swaggered into the compartment and stuck his hand out, a sneer on his face. "You must be the other Potter," he said. That wasn't much of a greeting but the boy wasn't finished. When Harry shook his hand Malfoy smirked and put his hands on his hips. "We've all wondered why you don't attend social events. Some of us had bets that you were nothing more than a figment of Edmond Potter's imagination. Glad to see you're real."

The boy made Harry slightly uncomfortable, but he managed to crack a smile. "Glad to be real," he joked.

"The invitation is open to both of you if you wish to join us in the front."

"Thank you Malfoy, now if you don't mind, I'm still in the middle of reading," Theo said, holding up the potions book he'd been reading.

Malfoy huffed and rolled his eyes. He left the compartment and slammed the door behind him, causing Harry to wince at the loud sound. "I hope he's not angry, I'm not trying to make enemies before the term even starts." Theo chuckled and shook his head.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Potter, he'll get over it. He's just mad that I find books more entertaining than him."

"Harry," Harry said. "You...you can call me Harry if you want to."

Theo blinked at him before another rare, genuine smile melted to ice around his eyes for a second. "Very well, you will call me Theo then, won't you?"

"Of course!" Harry grinned.

Theo nodded and he turned his head back to his book. Harry followed his example and pulled out a book from his trunk. It was their potions book. He flipped open to the first page, a smile on his face. He was on his way to Hogwarts, where his father couldn't be angry with him, with a boy who almost felt like a friend. Then he could get stronger, just like his mother wanted, and keep his brother safe. Safe from the people who still served You-Know-Who and from that dangerous thing inside of Harry. He could hardly wait.

The two boys weren't disturbed until the door opened again and a girl with large front teeth and bushy hair stuck her head in. "Hello, have either of you seen a toad?" She asked. "Neville's lost his."

Harry looked up from his book and looked at the familure boy who sometimes visited Eddie. Harry smiled and waved at him. Neville looked down, refusing to meet Harry's eyes. Neville had always been a bit wary around Harry, ever since Ron had told him that Harry was cursed. Harry let his hand fall and kept his smile in place. "Sorry, Neville, we haven't seen Trevor here," he said.

The girl cocked her head over to Harry. "Oh, you two know each other?" She asked. "You must have grown up a wizard, I didn't know until a few days before my birthday." She walked into their compartment and sat down next to Theo who gave her only the smallest glance before returning to his book, but he scooted further away from her. "It was a shock, to be sure, but I think that I'll get along fine. I've already read all of our course textbooks. I wanted to buy the second year books as well, but my parents said the first year books were enough." She stuck out her hand to Harry, who took it a bit hesitantly. "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" She asked.

"Harry Potter, a pleasure to meet you," he said with the polite grace that his mother had drilled into his mind.

Her eyes widened and went to the scar on his head. "Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about your brother, of course -- I got a few extra books. for background reading, and he's in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.

"Is he?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was _my_ brother," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

Theo clicked his tongue and walked over to the door, pulling the blinds down and locking the door. "Honestly, can't a young man read on this train without the entire population of wizarding Britain coming to bother him?" He asked with a sarcastic drawl. He stood on the chair and opened his trunk, pulling his school robes out, changing angrily. Harry reached into his own trunk and changed quickly. When they were both dressed, Harry looked at his reflection in the window and smiled. This was  _actually_ happening. He could hardly contain his excitement.

"What do you think the best class is going to be?" Harry asked. 

"I've always been partial to herbology and potions, myself. I like the concentration it takes. What about you?" 

"I think I might like Charms class the most," Harry said. "I was practicing a little over the summer and it makes the most sense to me, so far."

"Well, I'll help you in potions if you're having trouble if you help me in charms class." 

"Deal!" Harry said happily.    

* * *

A very large man's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me—any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," he called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Theo were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.

"Everyone in?" shouted the man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then—FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" he yelled as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out on to rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said the man, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the man's lamp, coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. Harry turned and grinned at Theo, who was grinning back. 

The wooden doors slowly opened and standing before them was a witch with a stern set to her eyes and was dressed in emerald green robes. Harry instantly knew that you'd have to be on a new level of idiot to cross her. "Thank you, Hagrid." She said, nodding to the tall Harry man. "I can take them from here."

The man nodded and he waved goodbye to the students. The witch turned to them, and let the stern look fade slightly. She smiled to them and ushered them into the great hall. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She peered at them with a raised eyebrow. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on the red-haired boy's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair, but like all other times he tried that, it really was no use.

McGonagall left them with a promise to return when they were ready for the new students.

Theo turned him around and looked him over and nodded. "Alright Potter, you don't look bad." He said. He brushed off a stray hair from his shoulder. He stood in front of Harry expectantly.

"Well, you look good, too." Harry said with a smile. Theo looked exactly like the rich boy Harry knew he was. "How do you think they're going to sort us?" Harry asked him. Theo smiled at him knowingly. "Well?"

"I'm not telling." He said in a sing-song voice. Harry suspected that he didn't actually know. Harry let Theo believe he'd been fooled. Draco Malfoy pushed through the crowd with the two large boys who accompanied him on the train. Another boy, who Theo introduced as Blaise Zabini also found them, greeting Theo and Malfoy, paying Harry almost no mind.

"Zabini, this is Harry Potter," Theo introduced him. Recognition passed through Zabini's eyes before he held out to Harry who shook it. 

"Harry!" A familure voice called out from the crowd. Eddie pushed passed a few people with Ron Weasley and another boy who Harry had never met before. "It seems you're keeping some  _unsavory_ company. What would mum and dad say?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest. "The brother of The-Boy-Who-Lived shouldn't be hanging around the children of  _Death Eaters."_ He sneered. Ron mimicked his stance. 

Malfoy snorted and rolled his eyes. "As you well know, all of our parents have been cleared of all charges." He turned to Ron and a look a disgust crossed his face. "No need to tell me who you are. Red hair, hand me down robes, and a stupid complexion. You must be a Weasley." He crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk stretching across his pale face. The others were cackling quietly. Malfoy turned to Harry who was looking between them. "You should be proud Potter, you've managed to associate with the  _right_ type of wizard." 

Harry stepped forward, hands clenched at his side. "Theo is the first friend I've ever had, I'm not going to stand here and let you insult him," he said. Harry stood straighter and looked up at his brother, who had a good three inches on him. "I don't care what mother and father have to say about it, they don't get to pick my friends." 

Eddie snorted and rolled his eyes. "Come off it, you can't really imagine that they would want to be friends with you, right?" He asked, then laughed shortly when Harry's shoulders slumped. "They're only interested in talking to you because you're related to me." 

"I know this might be surprising, Potter," Zabini said with a sarcastic drawl. "But not everything is  _about you."_

"Shut up, I know what you're after," Eddie snapped at him. "You all just want to spy on our family, well I'm not going to stand for it." He looked down at Harry, smug victory in his brown eyes. "Come with me now, or dad will be... _disappointed."_

Harry had only ever been on the end of his father's disappointment once in his life. He'd been young, about five, and his father had caught him in the garden playing with snakes. He'd smacked Harry so hard that he'd lost a tooth. James then demanded that word of what happened never reach his wife. Harry glared at his brother. "Disappointment is good for the soul...keeps you young. Now get lost Eddie, I don't want to talk."  

"Dad will hear about this," he said before turning away and gesturing for his two companions to do the same.  

Harry sighed and rubbed his temple. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that." 

"No, it was hilarious, you sassy little devil," Theo smirked. He slung his arms around Harry's shoulders. "What's life without a little friendly rivalry."

"That wasn't very friendly," Harry muttered. He grabbed Theo's hand and removed his arm. Harry looked over to Zabini who was smirking at him. He looked at Harry and put a hand on his hip. "What?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.

"It's just funny." Zabini said. "You're not at all what I was expecting from a Potter."

"And what were you expecting?"

Zabini said nothing, maybe he would have if the strict professor hadn't returned.

"We are ready for you, line up." She ordered.


	3. The Hat and The House

The group of eleven-year-olds formed a somewhat orderly line, three across, mostly trying to squeeze through the door, with their shoulders pressed together. Harry wasn't alone with his year mates, marveling at the beauty of the great hall. Thousands of candles were floating in the air, giving the hall a nice, homely feeling to it. The ceiling was showing the starry night sky that they had seen before they'd entered into the castle.

"It's enchanted to show what the sky outside looks like." Said the bushy-haired girl from the train, several feet ahead of him to a girl with mousy brown hair. "I read it in Hogwarts: A History."

"I read it in Hogwarts: A History." Malfoy mocked her under his breath, rolling his eyes so far and so hard that Harry was worried they might pop out of his head. "Merlin, what a know-it-all. I bet she's never had a friend."

Harry looked at the bushy-haired girl. He chuckled along with the rest of their group as they lined up in front of the staff table. Harry wondered if what Malfoy said was true. Harry had never had friends before he'd met Theo, so he understood why she would be so desperate to make them. Maybe she thought that flaunting her talents were going to win people over. She was-unfortunately-wrong. He looked over to Malfoy, who was still mocking the girl with Zabini. Harry frowned deeply and looked back over to her. She must have heard Malfoy because she was glaring at them. 

"What the -?!" Someone shouted.

Harry gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall said.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.  Harry couldn't imagine his mother letting that thing in her house. 

Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Theo hissed to himself angrily. "I'm going to kill Atlas! He said we had to fight a troll."

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"  
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but they seemed to be the most reserved of the lot. They clapped politely for the newcomer, but there were no shrieks and wild nonsense from the other tables.

The Bushey haired girl was sorted into Gryffindor. 

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag." Afterward was Malfoy who swaggered up to the stool and was immediately sorted into Slytherin. 

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" (all Slytherins) then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" (Gryffindor) and "Patil" (Ravenclaw) then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last - "Potter, Edmond!"

The Hall grew quiet as whispers passed from person to person. Eddie swaggered up to the front like Malfoy had, bumping his shoulder against Harry as he went. He placed the hat on his head and the hall waited with breathless anticipation. Harry knew how his brother's sorting was going to work out. Eddie had been groomed from birth to be the perfect Gryffindor golden child. So it was no surprise when the hat loudly called "GRYFFINDOR" out to the hall. The table decorated in red and gold exploded with joy, some students even jumping up and down. 

The strict teacher waited until the hall had settled a bit before calling Harry's name. He clenched his hands angrily when he caught someone whispering about 'the other Potter' or 'I didn't know he had a brother.' The last thing Harry saw before the hat was placed over his head was people straining to get a good look at him. 

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?" It paused for a moment. "What do you want from life, Harry Potter?" It asked. 

Harry's shoulders stiffened and he really thought about it. He was so sick of being the  _other._ He was sick of living in fear of his father's ire. He was so  _sick_ of his mother and father both pushing him and his needs to the side for Eddie. The only adult who had ever given any thought to Harry was Remus. Now he'd finally made friends and his brother had tried to put a stop to that. No was was Harry going to let that happen. Forget his brother, forget his parents, he wanted to be great without their interference. He wanted to stand on his own two feet and prove to people that he wasn't an 'other'. He was Hadrian Potter! He could protect his brother without having to erase his own existence. 

The hat chuckled softly. "Yes, I know just what do with you..." it said. "I'm sure you'll fit in nicely. SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted.

Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Slytherin table. He felt his ears grow hot, when not a single person clapped for him. That was until as one the Slytherin house got over their shock of a Potter being sorted into their house and began to clap enthusiastically. When he reached the table, one of the older students shook his hand and directed him towards where the other first years were sitting. Theo moved over and made room for him. The sorting continued and Zabini was sorted into Slytherin as well. Harry clapped along with the rest of his house.

McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not. He'd only met the man once, and wasn't sure how he should feel about him. "He's mad...isn't he?" Harry whispered to Theo who nodded subtly once. 

It seemed Malfoy had overheard them because he snorted and rolled his eyes. "Mad? Talk about an understatement," he declared loudly to the rest of the table. "How did they ever allow a man like that to teach is beyond me. Father says this place has gone to the dogs."

Harry hummed and looked up at the staff table. He saw that Dumbledore was chatting with a plump witch. He seemed perfectly nice. Harry looked at the rest of the staff and saw that Severus Snape was sitting with a man in a turban. Snape, he'd heard wild tales about from his father. A 'greasy good for nothing git' who would 'die old and alone, because no one could ever love him.' Snape looked at Harry and glared, but Harry simply nodded his head, keeping his face blank.  

"Oi, Potter, pass the mashed potatoes." Someone further to his left said. 

Harry looked down at the table and his mouth almost fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. His name was called again, so he grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes and handed them to a boy who looked to be about thirteen. "Here you are," he said. 

"Thanks, Potter," he said. 

"Harry, this is my cousin Atlas Nott," Theo said when he noticed the two were interacting. "Atlas, this is Harry Potter." 

"A pleasure," the boy said, heaping potatoes onto his plate, and passing the bowl to a girl who was sitting several seats away. 

Harry focused on his food, sighing happily with every bite. He didn't have much energy to talk to Theo while they were eating, but he did make a big show of nodding along to whatever he was saying. Eventually, dinner disappeared, and dessert took its place. Harry helped himself to a small tart. He turned when their year mates began talking about their families.

"My mother is a head designer in one of the top agencies in France. We have to spend every summer there so she can work. Daddy works is a world-famous Astronomer, but I'm sure you all already knew that." A girl named Daphne Greengrass said, sweeping her blonde hair behind her ear. Pansy Parkinson's father was the head of the department of mysteries. She winked at them when she said they weren't supposed to know that. Tracey Davis was half-blood, which made Zabini cringe. She hadn't heard from her mother in years, but her dad was an Auror. Millicent Bulstrode said her mom didn't work but her dad worked with the banks. Zabini snottily declared that his mother was 'too rich to work.' Malfoy's father had no real job title but liked to involve himself in politics, his mother was a retired healer. Nott's father was retired and his mother was dead. Crabbe nor Goyal answered. Allura Moon's mother was a dragon handler. She didn't know who her father was.

Everyone turned to Harry and he swallowed a bite. "My father is head of the Auror department and my mother doesn't work. Now that my brother and I are going to school, she's going to work on getting her mastery in Charms and Potions." 

 

"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."  
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry looked to Tho in alarm. "He's not serious is he?"

"He better not be," Malfoy said with a huff, interrupting Theo before he could speak. "My father will be hearing about this." He snapped. The other first years sighed quietly.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words."Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school-though the Slytherin table wasn't quite as exuberant-bellowed.

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. "Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Slytherin first years were told to sit and wait for the other tables to empty out. The rest of their house was allowed to leave and did so quickly. There were two prefects that stayed with them. A boy and a girl. The boy was tall with large shoulders and a strong chin. He had cold eyes, that only seemed to soften slightly when he looked at the first years. The girl was a bit thicker. She smiled at them all very kindly and helped Crabbe straighten out his tie. When the hall was mostly empty, they were told sharply by the boy to line up. They did so at once and followed him down into the dungeons. The stood in front of a blank wall and the girl tapped her wand to it. "Lilacs." She said. The wall slid away and opened into the Slytherin common room.

* * *

 

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs.

"Okay, first years, gather around the fire." The boy said. The first years all tried to rush to sit on the couch, but it wound up being occupied by Draco, Zabini, Nott, and Davis. Harry didn't rush. He sat on the floor near Malfoy and grabbed a pillow from the blond boy, grinning at the scowl on his face. "Excellent." He nodded, and four other students joined them.

A tall thin boy with dark skin and dark eyes smiled at them. He introduced himself as the Slytherin seventh year prefect, Niles Hanley. Then a young woman with bright green eyes and tanned skin stepped up. She was also a seventh year prefect, her name was Jodey Akimbo.

"Let me start by welcoming you all to Slytherin House, the best house." Hanley said, clapping his hands together. "Now, I know you all must be exhausted, but I'd like to go over a few rules with you. If you forget, they're posted on the bulletin board. First thing, lights out by 8:30 sharp until you're in third year. That means bed time, yes, I know booo." He smiled at Draco and Zabini when they groaned quietly. "But you need your sleep. You also need to be awake every morning by six-thirty and be down in the great hall for breakfast no later than eight, understand?" He raised an eyebrow and everyone nodded. "Good!" He clapped his hands.

"Here in Slytherin house, we are family. We put up a united front, no matter what happens. I don't care if you hate every single person here you stand up for them. We don't allow each other to be hurt. When you're all older, you'll be looking after younger students as well, so take that to heart. It'll be hard sometimes, because the rest of the school already thinks they know us." He didn't seem disturbed by that. "So if anyone bothers you, don't be afraid to ask for help.

"Now, you'll notice how nice and tidy our common room is. Keep it that way." He said sharply. He looked over across the common room towards a few older students who suddenly realized that they were very exhausted and had to leave right then. He turned back to the first years. "This area belongs to everyone, not just you, so please be respectful. The house elves here are also not your personal servants. It is your responsibility to keep your dorms and bathrooms clean. You aren't allowed to bring food into your dorms. You will be subjected to six random inspections throughout the year. Do not think you can pull one over on us, or bribe us, because you cannot." He observed them. "Now, I know it can get a bit stuffy in here, but please don't open the windows..." He grinned at them and the other prefects sighed and shook their heads. None of the first years laughed.

"Anyways...if you have issues with students outside our house, and you cannot solve it yourself go to a prefect. If the issue continues, go to professor Snape, and it will be handled. Do not start fights. But if someone else starts them, you better damn well finish them. If you see a fellow Slytherin needs help, help them as best you can."

He hummed. "Oh! House meets are every Friday at nine after dinner. You aren't allowed to ever skip those. Every night between six and eight PM is study hall in the common room, so please take all games and conversations upstairs to your dorm rooms. No outsiders are allowed in the common room, no exceptions. First years are assigned a 'watcher' who is a student in fourth year. This person will be your study partner, friend, and confidant. They are all volunteers so please respect them or they can make your life...difficult. They will be your watcher until they have graduated. You'll find out who you're assigned too tomorrow after classes."

He clapped again. "Now, let's get you sleepy kids into bed. Boys, first floor to my left, girls first floor to my right. Goodnight!"

They hurried off into their dorms. Harry's trunk was already by a bed in a far corner of the room. Next to Zabini, across from Nott. Harry opened his trunk and pulled out a large shirt that went down to his knees which he intended to sleep in. There was a bathroom that was connected to their dorm. He didn't want anyone to see him changing. The bathroom was large, with three showers heads which were closed off. Six sinks and three toilets, which were also closed off. Harry quickly changed and returned to the dorm. The lights were off so he had to move carefully to get into his bed.

For the first time, he was hopeful he could make somewhere a home. 


End file.
